“Why were you searching for me?” he asked them. “Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them (Luke 2:49-50).
The significance of a young boy coming of age in Jerusalem
A bar mitzvah in Jerusalem is a sight to see. One year, while visiting the Western Wall, I saw a parade coming toward me. Musicians were playing drums and instruments. A large canopy was carried on poles to shade the honored party, and the center of all this attention was a young Jewish boy, wearing his nicest suit, his kippah, and a prayer shawl.
The parade proceeded to the ancient wall, where a copy of the Torah was brought out of a chest and given to the young man to read. Everyone listened intently as he read in the original language, and when he completed the passage, the crowd erupted in applause and celebration.
Why this moment in Jesus’ life may have been His bar mitzvah
The story we’re reading today is possibly the account of Jesus’ bar mitzvah. Why do I think that? For one, his age is a key factor. Jesus was twelve years old, the age when a Jewish boy would present himself to the priest as a young man.
Secondly, this part of Jesus’ life takes place during Passover, and it’s clear from the story that Jesus was engaged in dialogue with the religious leaders in the temple. This was something a young man coming of age would be welcome to do.
Jesus’ unexpected disappearance and His parents’ frantic search
Once the festival was over, Jesus’ family headed out for the long walk back to Galilee, but he was accidentally left behind. Apparently, Joseph and Mary didn’t even realize he wasn’t with them until the end of the day. By that time, they would have most likely reached Jericho.
I can imagine that panic set in when they realized Jesus wasn’t with them. They scrambled to see if anyone had seen him. Frantically, they turned and made the long hike up to Jerusalem. That’s right, up to Jerusalem.
Climbing back to Jerusalem and finding Jesus in the temple
Jericho sits today at over 800 feet below sea level while Jerusalem sits over 2,400 feet above sea level.4 So, they climbed over 3,000 feet in elevation and roughly 15 miles against traffic to get back to Jerusalem. It’s no wonder they were a bit irritated when they finally found Jesus!
The astonishing wisdom of a twelve-year-old in the temple courts
And what was Jesus doing when they found him? He was in the temple, engaging with the religious teachers. Notice, he was “sitting among” them, “listening to them,” and “asking them questions” (Luke 2:46). Maybe he was asking them questions about the Messiah. Maybe he was beginning to grasp his sacrificial role as the Son of God. We simply don’t know.
I believe J. Oswald Sanders is accurate when he writes, “When scripture is silent, it is the part of wisdom to refrain from speculation.” What we know for sure is that everyone who heard Jesus speak was “astounded” at his answers and his understanding (Luke 2:47). Jesus’ words were beyond his years, and people noticed.
Jesus’ clear sense of His Father’s business even at a young age
When his parents finally confronted him, he was bewildered and asked, “Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49). The original language in this passage doesn’t use the word house. The King James Version better translates it as “my Father’s business.”
The business of the Father is our calling, too
I’m sure Joseph heard these words clearly. Jesus was setting his heart and mind about his Heavenly Father’s business. Likewise, there is business your Heavenly Father has for you to do, and it’s not to be brushed aside or ignored. It’s not to be minimized or delayed. It’s the business of making Jesus known. It’s the business of making disciples.
Why we must not allow life’s demands to distract us from His business
It’s easy, with all the demands and deadlines of our lives, to get distracted from our Father’s business. In the end, though, his business is the only business that really matters.
This blog features an excerpt from one of our books, His Way Still Works.
